Nissan will tap into the new Z’s performance reserves by expanding the lineup with a range-topping, Nismo-branded model, according to a recent report. The hot-rodded coupe will offer enthusiasts a more powerful engine and track-bred chassis updates.
Without citing sources, Japanese magazine Best Car wrote that Nissan is funneling the lessons it has learned from decades of racing into the upcoming Z Nismo. Some of the changes that will set the Nismo apart from the standard Z will be hidden under the body: Engineers will make modifications to the suspension system, and they’ll redesign parts of the undercarriage to improve airflow. Some of the changes will be a lot more obvious: The publication notably highlights a deeper front bumper that will add about four inches to the Z’s overall length.
None of this is official, but the exterior updates described fall in line with the photos (pictured) our spy photographers sent us in late 2022. Our spy photos also suggest that the Nismo will receive a vented hood, model-specific side skirts, and a redesigned rear bumper.
Power will continue to come from a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 engine, but Best Car claims that software changes will increase its output to about 420 horsepower (up from 400 in the regular-production model but down from the 500-horse output that earlier rumors have floated) while letting the driver go further into the upper echelons of the rev range. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission will come standard, and a nine-speed automatic transmission will be offered at an extra cost. Beefier brakes will help keep the extra power in check.
Nissan hasn’t commented on the report, and it hasn’t announced plans to launch a Nismo-developed Z. If the rumor is accurate, the range-topping Z will make its global debut in 2024 (about a year later than expected), and it could be exclusively offered as a limited-edition model.
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Source: www.autoblog.com